Thursday, January 17, 2013

Cranbrook gets $150K grant to promote science education

Cranbrook gets $150K grant to promote science education

BLOOMFIELD HILLS — Transforming science
learning and strengthening academic performance among middle school
students within Detroit Public Schools is the focus of a partnership
launched with the support of a one-year, $150,000 grant from the Bosch
Community Fund to the Cranbrook Educational Community.

Cranbrook,
Detroit Public Schools and the Bosch Community Fund celebrated this
partnership during a check presentation and school visit at Cranbrook
Institute of Science.

Cranbrook Institute of Science and Detroit
Public Schools will use the grant from the Bosch Community Fund to offer
students, families and faculty in-depth, hands-on exposure to science
and technology with an emphasis on the mastery of core science concepts
and heightened student achievement.

Nearly 160 Detroit Public
Schools students and 20 parents visited the Bat Zone and viewed an
exhibit showcasing hatching baby salmon at the event on Tuesday.

Maximiliane Straub, chief financial
officer and executive vice president of Finance, Controlling and
Administration for Robert Bosch LLC and vice president of the Bosch
Community Fund; Roy Roberts, Emergency Financial Manager, Detroit Public
Schools; and Dr. Michael Stafford, Director, Cranbrook Institute of
Science, attended the event.

The collaboration offers nearly
1,000 students in Detroit Public Schools free, private field trips to
the nationally regarded Institute of Science located in Bloomfield
Hills.

It also will provide professional development
opportunities for up to 150 Detroit Public Schools teachers and free
Institute memberships and special events to the families of
participating students. And, next summer 30 students will have the
opportunity to spend a week at a science day camp at the Cranbrook
Institute.

“Bosch is proud to work with the Cranbrook Institute
of Science and Detroit Public Schools so that students who are enrolled
in Detroit Public Schools — and their families and teachers — can foster
their love of math, science, engineering and other technical areas at
the Cranbrook Institute of Science,” Straub said. “As we continue to
grow our business, Bosch seeks to hire associates who excel in these
important disciplines. In addition, instilling a strong knowledge base
in these areas helps create meaningful jobs that strengthen the U.S.
economy.”

“When we announced this partnership in January,”
Roberts said, “the enthusiasm districtwide was outstanding due to the
impact that such an unprecedented collaboration with the Cranbrook
Institute of Science could have on the learning experience of our
students, particularly in the globally competitive fields of science and
technology. Seeing this vision come to fruition — and now be expanded
through grant funding from the Bosch Community Fund — confirms the
positive outcome of community organizations forging a partnership to
help students excel. Not only are our students, parents and educators
being afforded a personalized learning and development experience, they
are being exposed to educational growth outside of the classroom, thanks
to the critical resources this partnership is providing.”

Experiences
for Detroit Public Schools students will focus on direct contact with
Institute collections (considered among the country’s finest private
collections and boasting more than 150,000 objects and specimens),
opportunities for personal contact with Institute scientists and
educators, and core science education based on State of Michigan Grade
Level Content Expectations. Busing and meals for all participating
students are included and a significant series of evaluation tools will
be used to measure the impact and outcome of the partnership.

“This dynamic project with Detroit
Public Schools continues the Institute’s commitment to serving Detroit’s
urban students, their faculty and their families,” said Stafford.
“Detroit’s students deserve rich opportunities to explore and become
inspired by the increasingly scientific world around them. We are
absolutely delighted to have Detroit Public Schools as a meaningful
partner. I am especially grateful to the Bosch Community Fund for
helping make this collaboration come to life.”